Calculating Absence in Time and Attendance

Outcome

You have learned how absence times are calculated. This means that you know what transactions have been created and how they collectively determine the amount of absence time that is calculated for an employee. You have also learned about which parameters directly affect the calculation of absence time. For example, parameters that determine whether absence:

• Is only to be calculated for entire days as opposed to parts of days.
• Is to be calculated when absence is clocked within the parameters for flextime.

The following files are updated:

• The MTMTR1 file containing information on calculated absence time.
• The MTMABS file containing the transactions that were automatically generated each day during an absence period and collectively make up between which times the employee has been absent.
• The MTMDAB file containing the transactions that were created from the employee's clocked transactions and collectively make up when an absence period began and ended.

Before you start

• The starting conditions listed in Calculating Times in Time and Attendance must be met.
• The starting conditions listed in Create Absence Type and Connect to Time Type in Time and Attendance must be met. The instruction must have been completed and an absence type created.
• The employee must have clocked time using the current absence type.

Purpose

Absence transactions are used to specify when, why and how long an employee has been absent from work. When absence transactions are transferred to a payroll system, they can be included in a payroll run. This means that the absence times are grounds for en employee's salary/wages and that the employee will receive his/her pay according to the rules that apply for each absence transaction. Illness, vacation and leave of absence are examples of absence times.

When

Absence times are calculated when a normal time calculation is performed if the employee:

• Clocked in/out using an absence type in 'Clock In/Out Transaction. Report' (TMS001).
• Entered a planned absence using F9 = 'Planned absence' in (TMS001).
• Entered a running absence in 'Absence. Enter Running' (TMS004).

Aside from the above-mentioned conditions, the calculation of absence is affected by the values that were specified for the current absence type and the time type to which the current absence type is connected. For more information, see 'Absence Time Parameters' below.

How

The calculation of absence times is best explained with the help of a practical example.

1. Example:

   (Note that the following example is valid assuming calculation method 1 has been selected for the absence type – for more information, see 'Absence Time Parameters' below.)

   Background

   1. An employee's schedule is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 1-hour lunch break.

   2. The employee clocks out normal using an absence type on day 1 at 4 p.m.

   3. He clocks in normal using the same absence type on day 3 at 9 a.m.

   4. All days are normal workdays.

   Calculation

   1 - Two absence transactions are created from the employee's clocked times. These indicate when his absence began and ended. The transactions can be reviewed in 'Absence. Clock In/Out' (TMS200). For more information, see Review Transactions that Mark an Absence Period's Beginning and End in Time and Attendance. According to the example above, the following are created:

   • A transaction for day 1 with transaction type B0 = 'Normal clock out' and time 4 p.m.
   • A transaction for day 3 with transaction type A0 = 'Normal clock in' and time 9 a.m.

   2 - Aside from these transactions, two transactions are automatically generated each whole day or part of a day that the employee is absent. These are used to calculate the length of absence time to be calculated.

   If the current day is a workday, the transactions are generated from the work hour interval (that is, normal work hours) for the current work hour definition. If the current day is a holiday or a day off, the transactions are generated from the validity interval for the current work hour definition (which is normally 00:00 – 24:00).

   These transactions can be reviewed in 'Absence. Display Clock In/Out Transaction' (TMS205). For more information, see Review Automatically Generated Absence Transactions in Time and Attendance.

   According to the above example, the following are created (in addition to the two transactions listed above):

   • Two transactions for day 1. The first has transaction type A1 (meaning that it is a clocked in absence transaction that is automatically generated) and time 4 p.m. The second has transaction type B1 (meaning that it is a clocked out absence transaction that is automatically generated) and time 5 p.m.
   • Two transactions for day 2, one with transaction type A1 and time 8 a.m. and one with transaction type B1 and time 5 p.m.
   • Two transactions for day 3, one with transaction type A1 and time 8 a.m. and one with transaction type B1 and time 9 a.m.

   3 – The absence times are calculated from the generated transactions above. The calculated absence times can be reviewed in the same programs as other calculated times, for example 'Calculated Time. Update' (TMS220). According to the above example, absence time is calculated for:

   • Day 1 – 1 hour (4 p.m. to 5 p.m.).
   • Day 2 – 8 hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. minus any breaks, in this case, lunch 1 hour).
   • Day 3 – 1 hour (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.).

Absence Time Parameters

The parameters that determine how absence time is calculated are specified in:

• 'Absence Type. Open' (TMS105) where absence types are created, calculation methods are entered and absence types are connected to a time type.
• 'Time Type. Open' (TMS100) where values for the time type that is connected to the current absence type are entered.

The following table illustrates the fields that have an immediate effect on the calculation of absence time: